Metrosexual (what a word!)

From the Elizabethan men with their wigs and make-up to the modern-day hipster, grooming is and has been commonplace for centuries. So what about the modern-day man? Who is he and what sorts of treatments are popular nowadays? We have met men of all ages and backgrounds who come into the salon for different reasons and different treatments. From builders to bankers, artists to florists, fruit and veg stall holders, retailers, lawyers, celebs, politicians, the list is endless. I have highlighted a few of the stereotypical types of male user. Which one are you?

Mr Business Man

We have many clients who groom for business confidence. We have one client who is in his mid-50s who comes in for a manicure prior to every business meeting, because he says: ‘Before going to my meetings I put on my expensive watch, get my hair trimmed and my nails done and I feel great. I go into the meeting confident and my confidence shows.’ Enough said, if it works for him, then why can’t we all have a go?

Mr Thirty Plus

Men in their mid- to late-30s and 40s come in for laser or waxing, because they’ve started growing more hair in areas they didn’t have it before – ears, nose and shoulders. For this male, it’s an essential bit of maintenance to maintain some sense of youthfulness. A lot of middle-aged men are against time in regards to jumping on the laser bandwagon as we need hair with pigment or dark colour in the follicle to be able to laser it. Once the hair goes grey, that grey hair can’t be treated for permanent hair reduction.

Mr Reborn

Newly separated, after a long time being in a relationship and realising there are younger predators on the market, the “Back on the market” male needs to prune and trim areas neglected for years to get themselves back in the game if they stand any chance. Mr Reborn is also known to try and fit in with the youth and maybe try a few new things out – maybe a Boyzilian or Homeywood.

Mr Youth

Confident, knows what he wants, eyebrows, waxing, nothing fazes him. Generally looking like something from One Direction (showing my age here), these guys are cool. Ask them if they want the WIFI code and they say: Nah, man, cool… like, I’ve got 4g, like.’

Mr Motivator

Not every sportsman, but this one hates body hair – it gets in the way of stuff that they do and slows them down. This group includes crossfitters, who spend more time with their top off, no matter what the weather, or the cyclist or swimmer for aerodynamics.

Mr Grump

Once a week, they religiously turn up for a deep tissue massage, hunched and grumpy-looking, not the most talkative and look like they carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. One hour later, normality and a smile returns to them, standing straighter and they express a big thanks and leave for another week.

Mr Self Help

Now this chap is only here because he gets in-grown hairs every time he shaves or waxes and he comes up with a severe rash. He hates shaving and most things to do with grooming as it always ends up with a painful reddish rash or a reaction. One solution is laser, which works by targeting the specific area with courses of laser and kills the hair follicles causing the problem. Usually comes back for alternative treatments after.

Mr Last Minute

A few days before his wedding/civil ceremony (whatever floats your boat), realising he has spent more time partying than he maybe should have in the lead-up to one of the most important days of his life and that all that partying is going to leave him looking, let’s say, ‘flat’ and ‘grey’, he rushes to Privet for a facial. He then buys a heap of products because he knows that the pictures from this event will last a lifetime and he doesn’t want to be reminded how rough he looked on Facebook every year at the anniversary when his wife posts the evidence, nor does he want any future employer seeing him at his roughest.

Mr Reluctant

This is a classic, especially around the summer time. This male’s partner hassles him prior to holidays and outdoor activities that involves exposing parts of the body not used to be shown outside the bedroom or bathroom. It is important for this male to get bits tidied or removed otherwise the tutting and comments will make whatever the outing disproportionate to the treatment.

Mr Vacation

Once a year he goes on holiday either with a partner or his mates. Giving in to the realism that he is unable to turn the last 11 months of booze and burgers into the six pack in only two weeks prior to his holiday, he realises that a base tan is essential – spray tans all the way! Usually, so impressed with the spray tan colour, he comes back in the colder months. No longer is it orange – the new tans are very good.

Mr Knows

This guy is not scared of trying something new. He takes grooming, skin care and fitness seriously and making time for this is as important as eating. He moisturises daily and uses good quality skin and hair care products. Looking good is a statement about how he is feeling and keeps him focused and confident. Regular massages and facials are part of his routine and he’s not shy of a manicure or pedicure, either. Generally, any age.